Food island blog: SUPER COOKING ADVICES FROM THE BESTS

1. Remember, y'all, it’s all about the prep. Take away the stress by doing the prep the night or day before. You'll look like a star.
Paula Deen
Paula’s Best Dishes

2. The smaller the item, the higher the baking temperature. For example, I bake mini chocolate chip-toffee cookies at 500 degrees F for only 4 minutes. Perfect end result.
Jim Lahey
Co. and Sullivan Street Bakery, New York City
3. Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor.
Rick Tramonto
Tramonto's Steak & Seafood, Osteria di Tramonto and RT Lounge, Wheeling, IL

4. Use a coarse microplane to shave vegetables into salads or vinaigrettes. You can create an orange-fennel dressing by adding grated fennel and orange zest to a simple vinaigrette.
Paul Kahan
Avec, Big Star, Blackbird and The Publican, Chicago

5. Always make stock in a large quantity and freeze it in plastic bags. That way, when you want to make a nice soup or boil veggies, you can simply pull the bag out of the freezer.
Charlie Trotter
Charlie Trotter's, Chicago
6. If you're cooking for someone important — whether it's your boss or a date — never try a new recipe and a new ingredient at the same time.
Marcus Samuelsson
Red Rooster, New York City

Levi Brown

7. Cook pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions and cook it the rest of the way in the pan with sauce.
Mario Batali
Iron Chef America

8. After making eggs sunny-side up, deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar, then drizzle the sauce on the eggs to add another dimension to the dish.
Didier Elena
New York City

9. After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
Gerard Craft
Niche and Taste, St. Louis

Levi Brown

10. Brine, baby, brine! Ya gotta brine that poultry to really give it the super flavor.
Guy Fieri

11. Remember schmaltz? Your mom and grandmother probably used a lot of it in their home cooking. Schmaltz, or chicken fat, has a great flavor and richness; it has a deeper flavor than duck fat and can be used on nearly everything. I also love poaching fish in it.

Tony Maws
Craigie On Main, Cambridge, MA

12. If you find you need more oil in the pan when sautéing, add it in a stream along the edges of the pan so that by the time the oil reaches the ingredient being cooked, it will be heated.
Anita Lo
Annisa, New York City

13. When you deep-fry, hold each piece of food with long tongs as you add it to the oil. Hold it just below the oil's surface for five seconds before releasing it. This will seal the exterior and stop it from sticking to the pot or the other food.
Michael Psilakis
FishTag and Kefi, New York City